The Genealogy of Jesus: Women Named in the Gospel of Matthew

The Gospels of Matthew and Luke Supply Information About the Ancestors of Jesus of Nazareth. One striking dissimilarity between the genealogies of Jesus, recorded in the Gospel accounts of Luke and Matthew, is the mention of five women in the Gospel according to Matthew.

The alleged differences in the genealogy of Jesus in the gospels of Matthew versus Luke are often disputed. But no one denies that Matthew mentions the names of five women.

The accounts of Matthew and Luke are the only two of the four Gospels that include a genealogy of Jesus. The majority of Bible scholars agree that Matthew was a Jew who wrote primarily for a Jewish audience; and that Luke was a Gentile who wrote for a Gentile (i.e. non-Jewish) readership. The New Testament scriptures do not reveal much biographical data about Luke, and it is not clearly stated whether he was a Gentile or Jew. The genealogy recorded in Luke traces the lineage of Jesus through Joseph, his earthly father, backtracking from Joseph to Adam, the first man. Whereas Matthew traces the lineage of Jesus, beginning with Abraham, the patriarch or father of the Jewish nation, moving forward in history to Joseph.


Over the years, there has been much dispute about the alleged differences between the genealogies and over how to reconcile or rather, harmonize these two Gospels. This article does not address these disagreements because it was written with another purpose in mind. That purpose being: to call attention to the fact that there is one striking dissimilarity that no scholar tries to reconcile or explain away. The Gospel according to Matthew includes the mention of five women.

1. Tamar, a dutiful widow who played the harlot
2. Rahab, a woman who was a harlot
3. Ruth, a dutiful widow who was destitute
4. Bathsheba, the wife of a murdered husband
5. Mary, a young girl who married a man named Joseph

(Note: Bathsheba is not mentioned by name. She is referred to indirectly as, her that had been the wife of Uriah. The other four women are named. )


Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute, at peril to her life, in an effort to shame her father-in-law into admitting publicly that he had wronged her and that he would honor his word and obey the law.

Rahab was a prostitute. It was not uncommon for men to frequent her residence. Yet, when certain men were seen entering her place of business, she risked her life to save theirs, not really knowing if they would, in turn, spare her life. 

Bathsheba, the wife of a valiant warrior, at home alone, summoned to a king's bed-chamber to satisfy his unlawful lusts and desires. Wasn't it enough that she had been violated and that she was with child because of it? Did her husband have to be murdered to cover up the act? But it was likely reported to her that her husband, Uriah, had been killed in battle. After all, he was a soldier. Nathan, the prophet, later compared Bathsheba to a little ewe lamb, the only precious possession of a poor man and that poor man had been robbed of everything he had! But who would commit such an act of cruelty? 

Ruth was a destitute widow with an uncertain future. Yet she chose to make a dangerous journey with her mother-in-law and travel to a land away from the home she had known all her life, with nothing. Would the remaining days of her life be bitter? Or would the people she had chosen to accept be willing to accept her and show her mercy and kindness? 

Mary, an innocent young girl, greeted by an angel with these words: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. What must she have thought? But my cousin Elisabeth is the wife of a priest and prophet. She and her husband have always been righteous before God, walking in all of His commandments and ordinances. (Luke 1:6) Who am I? What great thing have I done? Why is the Lord with me? Me?
 

These brief summaries provide a glimpse into the lives of these five women. Using the various scriptural references below, one can piece together their real-life stories.

• TAMAR - GEN 38: 6, 24; RUTH 4: 12; 1 CHRON 2: 4; MATT 1: 3
• RAHAB - JOSH 2: 1; 6:17, 25; MATT 1: 5; HEB 11: 31; JMS 2: 25
• RUTH - RUTH 1: 1 4: 22; MATT 1: 5
• BATHSHEBA - 2 SAM 11: 3; 12: 24; 1 KINGS 1:15, 28, 31; 2:13
• MARY - MATT 1: 16, 18, 20; 2: 11; 13: 55; MK 6: 3; LK 1: 27, 30, 41, 56; 2: 5, 16, 19

While it is true that some parts of the biblical accounts are quite scandalous, the biographies of these women can also serve as inspiring accounts of hope, courage, faith, loyalty, love, obedience, and a woman's internal beauty and quiet inner strength.

Glitter rose found at  glitter-graphics.com

Sources:

• Scriptural references can be easily researched online at Bible Gateway.
• "Seekers of the Promised Land." Great People of the Bible and How They Lived. Pleasantville, NY: Reader's Digest Association, 1974.
• Youngblood, Ronald F., F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary: An Authoritative One-Volume Reference Work on the Bible, With Full-Color Illustrations. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1995.

Similar or Related Article:

• Character Study of Twelve Women: Bible Women From Ur to Nazareth - The Gospel of Matthew mentions five (5) women in the ancestry of Jesus; and from biblical accounts, we can extract the names of twelve (12) more women. 

© Photographer: Christos Georghiou | Agency: Dreamstime.com

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Similar content also appears at Blogjob.com

Entertainment: Movies and TV : War Movies From the 60s

Are you a John Wayne fan? If so, I sure hope you will not feel disappointed when I say that I do not share your admiration. I am not a John Wayne fan at all. It sounds un-American, but it’s the truth. I never really liked John Wayne movies, particularly when he portrayed a person in the military because he never served. Some want to imply or hint that he was a draft dodger. I would feel uncomfortable taking it that far. Besides, many think that the roles he played as a person serving in the armed forces of the United States were great for the morale of the real soldiers. So dissing him for not serving would be kind of unfair because boosting the morale of a soldier far away from home is an admirable service and an act of patriotism. At any rate, this article is not about Mr. Wayne. It is about war movies. Read on.

When trying to compile a listing of war movies that left a mark in my memory, since I grew up during the Vietnam era, The Green Berets (1968), made my initial list. However, it was subsequently eliminated.

The Green Berets, which starred John Wayne, is about the war in Vietnam. It was taken off my list because it was difficult to recall any memorable movie quotes.  On the other hand, the words in the theme song were memorable.

Song Lyrics:

“Put silver wings on my son’s chest. These are wings of America’s best. One hundred men will test today. But only three, will wear the green beret.”

The Green Berets (Warner Home Video)

Seven (7) movies did make the cut (by my standards) for memorable military flicks.

“Some people have a sixth sense. He has a sixth, a seventh and an eighth.”

Can you guess which war movie that quote is from?  Answer.

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War, 10-Movie Collection: The Eagle and The Hawk / The Last Outpost / Bengal Brigad / Jet Pilot / Ulzana’s Raid / To Hell and Back / In Enemy Country / Raid on Rommel / Battle Hymn / Wake Island

Military Movies & TV Shows Released 2010 & After ~ Available via Amazon Video

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Source:  Webnuggetz.com

Blogging Tips: Have You Tried YouTube's 'Create a Post' Feature?

Everyone knows YouTube is for VLOGGERS.  But can YouTube be used for BLOGGERS? That is to say, people do not create and upload videos, but they do write blog posts - can they publish a blog via the YouTube platform?

Several months ago I tested YouTube’s “Create a Post” feature and got so busy with my other online projects that I totally forgot it. But in October 2023, I revisited the feature. There are a lot of PROs.

PROS:

1. If you like a particular video ~ even though you did not create n upload it ~ rather than leave a comment that might get buried with all of the other commenters, when you click the Share button, simply select “Create a Post” and then write your comments or a detailed blog post.
2. You can add hashtags, to make it easier for people to find.
3. I am not a vlogger but you don’t need to be in order to use the “Create a Post” feature. It’s perfect for bloggers. You can add an image and then write content just like you do on a blog. Your blog posts are published via the YouTube platform.

View two examples of how content is displayed when you reshare a video about a topic you liked OR you added an image and wrote a blog post.

(1) Created a Poat and linked to a YT video to comment about a Kdrama teaser

(2) Created a Post by adding an image and writing a blog post about Kdramas based on webtoons

• NOTE: Of course, alternatively when you click the Share button you can share the YT video via Blogger (Blogspot) or Tumblr, and write a detailed blog post. But YouTube has a lot of traffic so why not publish blog posts on that platform as well?

What is your opinion? Do you think it's a good idea to use YouTube for blogging?

Original source

Greek Mythology: The Harpies | Soul Snatchers Versus Soul Savers

I enjoy the study of mythology.  Not just Greek and Roman mythology but legends, folklore, and myths from all around the world.  The study affords me the opportunity to contrast and compare those beliefs to the teachings of Christianity.

For this discussion, I am sharing the results of a quick study about the harpy.  Are you familiar with the harpy (or harpies, plural)?

The word “harpies” means “snatchers”.  They were known as the hounds of Zeus.  In Greco-Roman mythology, the harpies were monstrous bird-like creatures with a woman’s face. Believers thought these creatures acted at the behest of the gods, carried out acts of vengeance, and were snatchers of human souls.



Image credit:  Safari Ltd. Mythical Realms – Harpy – Realistic Hand Painted Toy Figurine Model

“In the earliest accounts, the Harpies were not monstrous—they were simply spirits who represented windy or stormy weather, and they were depicted as beautiful young women with wings. Over time, however, they developed into terrifying beasts. They had long, fair hair and the faces and upper bodies of women, but the wings, tails, legs, and claws of birds of prey, with sharp talons made of metal. They were always ravenously hungry, and would steal food or even eat their victims before carrying away their souls. The Harpies were repulsive to look at, and they spread filth everywhere they went. They stank so much that whatever they touched gave off a terrible smell.”

Quote source:  Claybourne, A. and CLAYBOURNE, A. (2012). Harpies. In Gods, goddesses, and mythology. [Online]. Tarrytown: Marshall Cavendish Reference. https://search.credoreference.com/content/topic/harpies_greek_mythology [Accessed 28 August 2018].

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By contrast, in Christianity, harpies are not to be feared because they don’t exist.  Christians are taught to only revere and fear The One Who has the power to destroy humans, both their body and their soul.  Believers know that Jesus Christ acted according to the will of His Father; taught there is only one true God, not gods; and preached the good news of faith, hope, and love for the purpose of saving souls.


Content previously published at Virily.com

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4 Epic Historical Period Korean Dramas to Binge-Watch on a Rainy or Snowy Day

A rainy or snowy day is the perfect time to binge-watch an epic Korean drama (i.e. a series with 50 or more episodes). Below is my watch list for the historical period K-dramas I deemed binge-worthy. (Let's just hope the rain does not cause a blackout and there is no Internet access. LOL.)

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 1. Empress Ki (2013) ~ 51 episodes

This series is about a woman named Ki Seung-nyang, who was born into a family of low-ranking officials. At age 18, she was sent to the Yuan Empire in China as tribute. She became the emperor's preferred concubine and ultimately went from being a servant to becoming the Empress of Yuan.  It's about love, war, and betrayal. In other words, it's typical drama! Even though this epic is based on real historical figures, the relationships depicted are probably fictionalized.

Main Characters:

• Ha Ji-won as Ki Seung-nyang

• Joo Jin-mo as Wang Yoo, the King of Goryeo.

• Ji Chang-wook as Toghon Temür, the last Emperor of the Yuan dynasty

2. Dong Yi (2010) ~ 60 episodes

This series is also titled “Jewel in the Crown” and it follows the life of Dong Yi from childhood to adulthood. It is based on a real historical figure and it is a true love story between Dong Yi and the King. According to the fortune tellers, her “light” would shine bright in the Joseon Kingdom. This prediction proved to be true. But it does not mean that she did not experience trouble and sorrow.  She was a lowborn commoner and worked as a watermaid in the palace. But she became the king's favorite concubine which made her a target of envy, jealousy, and treachery. One of the sons she bore the king, died at a very young age. She bore the king another son, Yeong Jo. He was the second son of King Sok Jong and the future king of Joseon. Her life story is one for the ages.

Main Characters:

• Han Hyo Joo as Dong Yi

• Ji Jin Hee as King Sukjong.

3. Jumong (2006-2007) ~ 60 episodes

This series is about the life of Jumong Taewang, founder of the kingdom of Goguryeo, set in 37 BC. Even though the details about Jumong in the historical records are scant, the scriptwriters pieced together what their research revealed and created this marvelous epic. “Described as the son of the heavens, Jumong was the founding king of Goguryeo, which eventually became the largest dynasty in Korean history. Also known as the Holy King of the East, mythological tales of his origins mostly follow the same basic story.” (Quote Source)

DID YOU KNOW? Jumong was believed to be the grandson of the water god Habaek.

Main Character:

• Song Il-kook as Jumong

4. The Flower in Prison (2016) ~ 51 episodes

Set during the Joseon dynasty, this series follows the life of Ok-nyeo. She was born and raised in prison. Jeonokseo is one of the most horrifying prisons in Joseon. Her mother died in childbirth and the man who worked at the prison who adopted and raised her did not know her identity. She finds a secret prison cell with a mysterious prisoner. The prisoner teaches her martial arts and she becomes an intelligence agent. Martial arts is just one of her many talents. She is very intelligent and understands the law. She crusaded for the poor people who are unfairly accused under the litigation system. Her life is filled with danger and adventure. Eventually, she learns her true identity. She is s surprised as everyone else to learn that she is a princess. Her mother's enemies did not know she had been born. But when they found out, that's when Ok-nyeo faces true peril.

Main Character:

• Jin Se-yeon as Ok-nyeo

If You Don't Agree With My Suggestions, Check Out These Lists:

10 Korean Dramas Based on True Stories | MovieWeb

Top 25 Historical Korean Dramas You Will Love | KdramaPlanet

Original source

Life Lessons: 3 Shakespeare Quotes To Live By

Many people enjoy Shakespeare more than his sonnets or his plays. These 3 quotes are very profound.

Have you often wondered if Shakespeare's pen was sharpened by his own personal life experiences or if he was just a guy who was gifted with an extraordinary writing style; was extremely witty, and just had a way with words? Most of the quotes come from plays or poems but they're not just words on a piece of paper. They do have real-life applications for all of us.

❤ 1. “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”

I think we all agree that this is easier said than done.

Love all? That's insane! When it comes to love, humans are very selective. That would not be so bad if when we made the choice not to love, we simply remained neutral. But many choose to hate instead. However, truth be told, if each person was told that they only had two arbitrary choices in this life - Love All or Hate All – would we not all choose love? Of course! (Unless you're a spawn of Satan. :lol: )

Trust a few? We are born pure, innocent and carefree souls. Then … life happened! If we are fortunate in life, we learned at an early age “the few” who can be trusted. But for some, lack of trust is their defense mechanism. They suspect everybody and everyone is automatically deemed untrustworthy until those people can prove otherwise. Most of the time people like this have been hurt badly by others they did trust and consequently, nobody will ever get the chance to cause them pain again. The self-defense reaction is normal. But know this. Life will be a very heavy burden if you have absolutely no other human being that you can trust.

Do wrong to none? None? You mean NOBODY? But what if ____________? Everybody has something that goes in that blank. EVERYBODY!! And for many people, their justification is always that wrong was done to them first. But in the end, one can not disagree with the wise words of Master Shakespeare. His advice simply stated is just math. “Two wrongs don't make it right.”

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❤ 2. “This above all: to thine own self be true.”

Who knows you better than you know yourself? Even the people you love and hold dear, who you trust the most and would give your heart to, don't know you better than you know yourself. If you lie to yourself and deceive yourself, without me being a mental health professional, I can predict that you're headed for a mental breakdown. Lying is a bad thing to do. Lying to yourself is the worst thing you could ever do! It will lead to delusion. Delusion is defined as an idiosyncratic belief or impression that is firmly maintained despite being contradicted by what is generally accepted as reality or rational argument, typically a symptom of a mental disorder.

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❤ 3. “The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.”

This was the first Shakespearean quote that I was required to memorize and I have never forgotten it. If you never hear another quote or read anything else written by William Shakespeare, read these words, keep them in your heart, and embrace every opportunity you get to show mercy. You, the giver, and the one who receives from you, i.e. the taker, will both be blessed.

No really! Try it! ❤
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If You Liked This, You Might Also Like:
5 Quotes from Confucius for Self Reflection
6 Einstein Quotes for Self Improvement
William Shakespeare: The Writer We Love to Write About
The Shakespeare Conspiracy Presented by Sir Derek Jacobi

Original content published via Forum Coin

A Tribute to Harry Belafonte (1927-2023) ~ Entertainer, Activist, and Humanitarian

Harry Belafonte passed away, on April 25, 2023, at the age of 96. He left an indelible mark in the history and the heart of America.

“I think America offers a dream that cannot be fulfilled as easily anywhere else in the world as it could be fulfilled here. …” ~ Harry Belafonte

• If you were preparing a list of iconic and legendary American entertainers, then Harry Belafonte would be on that list.
• If you were making a list of notable civil rights activists in America, then Harry Belafonte would be on that list.
• If you were making a list of humanitarians worthy of double honor for their good works, then Harry Belafonte would be on that list.

Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. known to the world as Harry Belafonte is a Jamaican-American singer, songwriter, actor, activist, and humanitarian. Date of Birth March 1, 1927 — Date of Death April 25, 2023. Cause of death: Congestive heart failure.

Americans from my generation (50s, 60s, and 70s) know Harry Belafonte. We know the lyrics to the Banana Boat and Matilda songs, backward and forward. Several years back (1997) there was a special program on television — “An Evening With Harry Belafonte & Friends” — where he sang many songs accompanied by fabulous singers and musicians. He performed Banana Boat and Matilda. I’m sure he knew that if he had not sung those songs, the audience would have been very disappointed.

Mr. Belafonte is known for his singing, and also for the memorable roles he has played in several films like “Carmen Jones” (1954), and “Island in the Sun” (1957). He has won numerous awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors.

In addition to knowing him as an extremely talented triple threat, i.e. he can sing, dance and act — we also know him to be a civil rights activist and a humanitarian, involved in many good works.

Giving honor where honor is due, one person referred to Mr. Belafonte as “living history”. While he was alive, you did not have to read historical events in a book because you could just talk to him since he was alive during the time and actively participated in history-making.

Mr. Belafonte has passed from living to legend now. He was almost a centenarian; age 96.

“If I’ve impacted on one heart, one mind, one soul, and brought to that individual a greater truth than that individual came into a relationship with me having, then I would say that I have been successful.” ~ Harry Belafonte

IN MEMORY OF: Harry Belafonte (1927–2023)

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I hope that his amazing talent, his fight for human rights, and his selfless charitable acts will be appreciated and remembered by Americans for generations to come.

Original Source

How to watch and stream Harry Belafonte movies

Did Alexander the Great Think He Was Great?

Alexander the Great, a historical figure that many people like to write or talk about.  Name written in history or not, every human being is just an A-O-P (“another ordinary person.”) Most ordinary people and extraordinary people usually want the same thing. To be happy.  

Do you wonder sometimes if Alexander thought he great?

Here is what you see when you look up close at this son of a king.

• He was a teenager when he started out on the path wherein he was determined to become a memorable military and political leader, whom generals even to this day study to improve their leadership skills and abilities.

Eh! Not really. His dad didn’t like him and wanted to get him out of his face, so he sent him away to fight! No matter who you are, if one or both of your parents don’t like you, that messes with your head!

• He was dead by the time he reached his early 30s.

There are different stories about his death, but if you ask me, I say his mind and body just burned out!

When you look at him up close, you may be moved to think, ‘How awful!!’

There are different stories about how he died, but how he lived wasn’t really all that great either!

By contrast to my own life.

• At age 16, I was just figuring out who I was and what I wanted to be. 1972 marked the year I graduated from high school and my first year at the University of Miami. Also, my beloved father passed away. He was taken away from me, but he never sent me away from him.

• By the time I was in my 30s, I had been happily married to the man of my dreams, with kids, for about a decade. Seems to me like Alexander the Great had a sad life and didn’t do much living at all! After 15 years of nothing but fighting and killing, maybe he was thinking: ‘This is my life? What’s so great about it?’
  

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Related or Similar Articles:
The Seven Kings of Rome
Alexander the Great: God-King or Mere Mortal?

Ten Facts About Alexander the Great (and One Observation)
Ancient Greek and Roman Statues Shown in Their True Colors

Content first published at Literacy Base on April 4, 2017.

Alexander the Great - Boogie Man or Immortal? : Joie de Vivre Magazine ~ https://t.co/GFAlxl8JQH #militaryleaders #ancientGreece #History #lifestyleblogger #alexanderthegreat #ancienthistory #myths and #legends pic.twitter.com/xRbQyboECL

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) August 31, 2019

Another of #AlexanderTheGreat's many #Alexandria's found in #Iraq with #drone #tech.#Secrets Of #Drone #Archaeologyhttps://t.co/YRUTTZPUDU

— CelebrateGreece.com (@CelebrateGreece) August 26, 2019

The Death of #AlexandertheGreat: One of History's Great #UnsolvedMysteries https://t.co/8Fym6nwyM9 via @lithub #history #Greece #persia #Babylon

— CorneliaAmiri (@CorneliaAmiri) August 28, 2019

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K-Drama: Boys Over Flowers (2009 Korean TV series) Gets My Five Stars

K-drama television series are addictive. Why? Because of their special ingredient called “adorable cuteness”.

Example and Recommendation:

Boys Over Flowers (2009 Korean TV series)

Image credit: viki.com

It’s official! My kids have decided that their mother has lost all the marbles in her head. Why? K-drama television series. Very pleased with the business decision by Netflix to add such programs into their database. Even more pleased that many of the programs are available for viewing online free at various websites.


Can’t explain my reactions. Grew up on American television. My husband got me started watching foreign films. Once my kids began subscribing to Netflix and other similar video streaming services noticed that some of them were into binge-watching. One particularly boring day at home decided to binge-watch a BBC mystery because BBC television mysteries are my favorite. From that point, binge-watching became my way of treating myself to a healthy dose of doing … The Nothing! You know. Those days when you just decide you have earned your “Goof Off All Day” reward and no serious work will be done on that day!



However, even when indulging myself in binge-watching, never lost sleep over a TV show; and certainly never really thought any series was worth watching more than once. Might watch a few particular episodes a few times more. But never the whole series!

Did I say BBC mysteries “are” my favorite? Sorry. Meant to say “were”.

• Netflix Junkie (Especially BBC Mystery)

Huh?? Duh??!!
That was how my children reacted.
– (???) What could possibly make mom choose an alternative for the BBC?

Answer. Those silly cute adorable Korean drama television series that have incredibly simple yet intricate, seemingly never-ending storylines with each episode, that leave with the thought”: ‘Gotta find out how this ends!!’

 My first taste of K-drama was a movie called “Commitment”. It was intense!!

Then my husband found a more light-hearted TV series called “Tamra the Island” It’s a romantic dramedy (drama and comedy blend) that was “Inspired by the real story of a Dutch explorer, a young Englishman discovers Kdrama in the 17th century Joseon Era”. (Quote source: dramafever)


One of the main characters was played by this tall handsome guy with the “skinny little body” whose name in the series was Park Gue, whose real name is Im Ju Hwan. I was impressed with him so search for more programs where he was playing a character.

This is where “Boys Over Flowers” comes in.

My research indicated that Hwan (Park Gue) had made an appearance in this show. Started watching the program only looking for him. Got stuck on it!! Got so stuck one night and didn’t go to sleep until about 4:30 in the morning!! Hwan did make an extremely brief appearance, after about 20 episodes. Talk about an Easter egg hunt! Anyway … glad someone realized this young man’s acting abilities and gave him the lead role in “Tamra the Island”.

Disappointed at only catching a tiny glimpse of Hwan in this TV show. However, my decision to view the entire series was filed under “Happy R&R Time Well Spent”.   Took me a few days to finish all the episodes. Will say no more because people hate spoilers. But if you like romantic dramedy, you’ll like “Boys Over Flowers”. Wonderful love story. It’s so cute!! 

Content previously published at BlogJob.com

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